Equity Commission

USDA Announces Remote Beef Grading Pilot Program

Will Jordan Beef, Cattle

Many producers have found added value for their cattle through marketing freezer beef in their communities. Until now, though inspected for sale by USDA, those locally slaughtered cattle have been left without valuable quality grades. Following a recent feasibility study, USDA has announced a pilot program for remote beef grading. United States Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, announced the remote …

China Approves More U.S. Beef and Pork Plants for Export

Will Jordan Beef, Beef, Cattle, Exports/Imports, General, Industry, Livestock, Livestock News, Pork, Trade, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF)

by Will Jordan and USMEF China’s General Administration of Customs recently approved 18 U.S. beef establishments and 12 U.S. pork establishments for export to China – the first new U.S. plants cleared for export to China in about 10 months. Erin Borror, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) vice president for economic analysis, says the plant approval process was streamlined by …

AgNet Weekly: Representative Kat Cammack

Sabrina Halvorson AgNet Weekly, Legislative

Representative Kat Cammack (R-FL-03) joins host Sabrina Halvorson this week for a discussion on protecting seasonal and perishable produce growers in trade deals, controlling government regulations with the REINS Act, WOTUS, and more. Each week we highlight essential legislative and policy conversations affecting agriculture nationwide. Host Sabrina Halvorson is a 30-year media veteran known nationally for her award-winning, balanced, and …

AgNet Weekly: NCBA Opposition to PRIME Act

Sabrina Halvorson AgNet Weekly, Legislative

The PRIME Act has once again made its way into Congress. Current law exempts custom slaughter of animals from federal inspection regulations, only if the meat is for personal, household, guest, and employee use. So, to sell individual cuts of locally raised meats to consumers, farmers and ranchers must send their animals to a USDA-inspected slaughterhouse. Proponents of the bill …

Brazilian beef imports

April Red Meat Exports Weather Production Challenges, Economic Headwinds

Taylor Hillman Beef, Livestock, Pork

April proved to be a solid month for U.S. beef and pork exports despite COVID-19 related interruptions in production and trade. U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom says, “despite these significant headwinds, global demand for U.S. beef and pork remained strong.” Beef exports were below last April’s large totals but still topped $600 million in value. Pork …

july

July 4th Cookouts Costing About the Same

Dan Beef, Dairy, Economy, Fruits, Industry News Release, Pork, Poultry, Vegetables

(AFBF) — A cookout of Americans’ favorite foods for July 4th, including hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pork spare ribs, potato salad, baked beans, lemonade and watermelon, will cost just a few cents more this year, coming in at less than $6 per person, says the American Farm Bureau Federation. Farm Bureau’s informal survey reveals the average cost of a summer cookout …

off act

What’s at Stake for U.S. Beef in China

Dan Beef, Cattle, Exports/Imports, Trade

Earlier this week President Trump said he would meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in June. The announcement comes as the trade war between the two largest economies in the world grows even more intense. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Senior Director of International Trade and Market Access, Kent Bacus, discusses what’s at stake for U.S. beef producers and how close we …